Alexa Kulakowski scored 20 points as top-seeded Cicero-North Syracuse used a second-half surge to get past Liverpool 58-46 in a Section III Class AA girls basketball semifinal contest on Sunday at OCC.
Alita Carey-Santangelo added 12 points for C-NS (15-4), which will go for the title against No. 2 Baldwinsville Saturday at OCC. Those two rivals squared off in the 2020 Section III title game, a contest won by the Northstars.
"I think we're going to have a good week of practice, we're going to prepare and we're going to go in there and work our hardest and we'll see," Kulakowski said. "I think we got it now. I have confidence."
Navaeh Wingate led No. 4 Liverpool (14-8) with 21 points.
The Warriors held a 26-25 lead at halftime before the Northstars went on a 12-5 run in the third and outscored their foes 21-15 in the third. C-NS coach Rob Siechen credited defense for his team's rally.
"We weren't very good on offense, but defensively in the half-court we were pretty good against them, I think," Siechen said. "Early on, we gave them a lot of breakaways, whether bad shots or turnovers."
Kulakowski said a more patient second-half offense was also a key.
"We slowed down on offense," she said. "They were rushing us. We could control the controlables, and we weren't. And so we just slowed down on offense and we got our shots and we won."
The Northstars won both their games against the Bees this season.
"You got to love it," Siechen said of a third meeting between the teams. "It should be a good game."
SECTIONAL FINAL SATURDAY MARCH 5 at 7pm
Tickets
https://section3.org/sports/2021/4/29/hometown-ticketing.aspx
